1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus, method and system for driving a display device. In particular, the present invention is directed to an apparatus, method and system for driving a plasma display panel (hereinafter “PDP”), such that undesired gas discharge and dielectric breakdown do not occur between the electrodes within the PDP, and dissipation of energy is reduced.
2. Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a top view showing a portion of a conventional PDP 10 having a conventional electrode structure. The PDP 10 is a matrix device having individual cells defined by the intersection of row electrodes X1, Y1, X2, Y2 . . . Xn, Yn, and column electrodes A1, A2, A3 . . . An. The row electrodes X1, Y1, X2, Y2 . . . Xn, Yn, are arranged horizontally along the PDP 10 and the column electrodes A1, A2, A3 . . . An are arranged vertically along the PDP 10. As such, the horizontal and vertical electrodes form a basic grid with cells.
The row electrodes include electrodes such as common or sustain electrodes X1, X2 . . . Xn, and electrodes such as scan electrodes Y1, Y2 . . . Yn. The column electrodes includes electrodes such as address electrodes A1, A2, A3 . . . An.
FIGS. 2 and 3 show a conventional interlaced driving method for the PDP 10 having the electrode structure of FIG. 1. According to the conventional interlaced driving method of FIGS. 2 and 3, the phase difference of the sustain pulses between the electrodes X1, Y1, X2, Y2 . . . Xn, Yn is controlled to determine which cell(s) is to emit visible light.
FIG. 2 shows a conventional driving method for driving the odd-numbered fields of the PDP 10. Based on the conventional odd field driving method of FIG. 2, alternating sustain pulses are applied between the odd-numbered X electrodes X1, X3, X5, etc. and the odd-numbered Y electrodes Y1, Y3, Y5, etc.; and between the even-numbered X electrodes X2, X4, etc. and the even-numbered Y electrodes Y2, Y4, etc. Pursuant to the above method of applying the alternate sustain pulses, gas discharge will occur between the odd-numbered X electrodes X1, X3, X5, etc. and the odd-numbered Y electrodes Y1, Y3, Y5, etc.; and between the even-numbered X electrodes X2, X4, etc. and the even-numbered Y electrodes Y2, Y4. Consequently, the driving method provides no voltage difference between the odd-numbered X electrodes X1, X3, X5, etc. and the even-numbered Y electrodes Y2, Y4, etc.; and between the even-numbered X electrodes X2, X4, etc. and the odd-numbered Y electrodes Y1, Y3, Y5, etc. As such, no gas discharge occurs between the odd-numbered X electrodes X1, X3, X5, etc. and the even-numbered Y electrodes Y2, Y4, etc.; and between the even-numbered X electrodes X2, X4, etc. and the odd-numbered Y electrodes Y1, Y3, Y5, etc.
In addition, FIG. 3 shows a conventional driving method for driving the even-numbered fields of the PDP 10. Based on the conventional even field driving method of FIG. 3, alternating sustain pulses are applied between the odd-numbered X electrodes X1, X3, X5, etc. and the even-numbered Y electrodes Y2, Y4, etc.; and between the even-numbered X electrodes X2, X4, etc. and the odd-numbered Y electrodes Y1, Y3, Y5, etc. According to the above method of applying the alternate sustain pulses, gas discharge will occur between the odd-numbered X electrodes X1, X3, X5, etc. and the even-numbered Y electrodes Y2, Y4, etc.; and between the even-numbered X electrodes X2, X4, etc. and the odd-numbered Y electrodes Y1, Y3, Y5, etc. Consequently, the driving method provides no voltage difference between the odd-numbered X electrodes X1, X3, X5, etc. and the odd-numbered Y electrodes Y1, Y3, Y5, etc.; and between the even-numbered X electrodes X2, X4, etc. and the even-numbered Y electrodes Y2, Y4, etc. As such, no gas discharge occurs between the odd-numbered X electrodes X1, X3, X5, etc. and the odd-numbered Y electrodes Y1, Y3, Y5, etc.; and between the even-numbered X electrodes X2, X4, etc. and the even-numbered Y electrodes Y2, Y4, etc. The conventional interlaced driving method of FIGS. 2 and 3 is only for driving conventional PDP having an electrode structure as shown in FIG. 1. However, the conventional interlaced driving method is not suitable for driving other PDP having an improved electrode structure different from that which is shown in FIG. 1. Accordingly, there is a need to have an apparatus, system and/or method of driving a PDP with an alternative electrode structure in order to prevent undesired gas discharge and dielectric breakdown.